VOL 33 NO 15 | APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2014 by Northwest Asian Weekly

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VOL 33 NO 15

APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2014

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32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

BLOG High art at the Wing » P. 10

Mayor faces ethnic media

By Sue Misao Northwest Asian Weekly

About a dozen reporters attended a press conference given by Mayor Ed Murray for local and regional ethnic media at Seattle City Hall on April 1. Here, seated at the table, from left, are Jenny Kung and Andrea Hu from AATV, Fitsum Tsefamariam from Daero, and Gustavo Montoya from El Mundo.

Photo courtesy of CRPF

Raising funds for $21 million reconciliation park is not easy

Art in the Chinese Reconciliation Park

Seattle symposium focuses on increasing the minimum wage By James Tabafunda NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY While the cost of living and CEO compensation packages continue to rise, many Washington state workers find their paychecks unchanged from the minimum wage of $9.32/ hour. In San Francisco, $10.74/ hour is the minimum wage, and in Washington, D.C., it will be $11.50/hour by 2016. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray wants a meaningful pay raise for city employees and “to find a

solution so that every worker in Seattle earns a living wage for their work.” The one-day Income Inequality Symposium on March 27 at Seattle University provided a public forum on the growing income gap, or what President Obama called the “defining challenge of our time.” The event’s first plenary, “Understanding the Problem,” dealt with questions such as what {see MINIMUM WAGE cont’d on page 12}

Photo by James Tabafunda/NWAW

{see ETHNIC MEDIA cont’d on page 15}

Photo by Sue Misao/NWAW

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray called members of ethnic media to City Hall for a half-hour press conference on April 1, to discuss issues facing their immigrant and minority readers. Coincidentally, it was the 119th anniversary of the very day the mayor’s own grandfather came to America, he said, evoking his immigrant roots. Murray took questions from about a dozen reporters from AATV, the Korean Daily, the International Examiner, El Mundo, the North American Post, Daero, Seattle Chinese Times, the Northwest Asian Weekly, Seattle

Yen Lam, left, owner of Lam’s Seafood Market, and Taylor Hoang, owner of Pho Cyclo Café, attended the symposium to learn more about the effect of $15/hour on small businesses.

efforts to raise Recent awareness and funding for the Tacoma Chinese Garden and Reconciliation Park have brought the project back into the city’s consciousness. The park, located on North Schuster Parkway, was initiated in 1991 by local philanthropist and citizen Dr. David Murdock. {see RECONCILIATION PARK cont’d on page 12}

Photo by Sue Misao/NWAW

By Vivian Nguyen Northwest Asian Weekly

OSO RELIEF — Faye Hong, surrounded local leaders in the Chinese Community, representatives, Lt. Gov. Brad Owens, Bellevue City Councilmember Conrad Lee, and others, presents a check for $16,888 to the United Way of Snohomish County at a ceremony in Hing Hay Park on April 2. It only took five days for Seattle’s Chinese Community to raise the money, which will go to United Way’s Disaster Recovery Fund for Mudslide Relief.

The Inside Story NAMES Movers, shakers, mixers » P. 2

■

WORLD Polio-free India » P. 5

ON THE SHELF Memoirs & life stories » P. 8

ASTROLOGY What’s in your future? » P. 13

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APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2014

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Governor appoints John Chun to King Co. Superior Court In December, Gov. Jay Inslee appointed John Chun to the King County Superior Court bench. Prior to his appointment, Chun was a member of the Summit Law Group, where he focused on employment, commercial, and international cases. Before that, he worked John Chun as a partner at Preston Gates & Ellis, a partner at Mundt MacGregor, and a judicial law clerk for Judge Eugene A. Wright of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Chun, a Korean American, received his B.A. from Columbia University in 1991 and his J.D. from Cornell Law School in 1994. From 2002 to 2005, he was an adjunct professor at Seattle University School of Law. Chun replaced retiring Superior Court Judge Michael Hayden. 

kids, gifts, raffles, and refreshments. Attendees learned about fire and carbon monoxide, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), personal preparedness and emergency kits, and more. Interpreters that spoke in Mandarin, Cantonese, Cambodian, and Vietnamese were also on hand. 

First Transit names Sharad Agarwal as VP of call centers First Transit, a bus transportation provider, has appointed Sharad Agarwal as vice president of its national call centers. Agarwal has more than 10 years of transportation experience, including spending the past year as First Transit director of business development Sharad Agarwal focusing on the western region. In addition to call centers, the company also offers paratransit services, shuttle buses, and bus inspection. Agarwal will be relocating to Seattle from Pasadena, Calif. 

Diverse pros get into the mix

Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW From left, Vietnamese American Community of Seattle & Sno-King County board members Tam Nguyen, Dr. Kiet Ly, My-Linh Ngo, Lai Tran, Tu-Anh Phan, and Tuan Van volunteered at the Health & Safety Fair.

Mixing it up at O’Asian’s

The Seattle and King County Health & Safety Fair was held on March 8 at the International District Community Center. There was free healthcare enrollment, activities for

Bank of the West hosts grand opening of Seattle branch

From left, Bank of the West senior vice presidents Alan Newstead, Matt Bierman, and Calvin Tabata attended the bank’s grand opening.

Bank of the West, which opened its doors last October, held a grand opening on March 18 at its location on Second Avenue in Seattle. About 110 people came, including senior bank officials, community members, and business clients, to mingle and hear a keynote speech by economist Scott A. Anderson.  Photo courtesy of Hang-Ping Chen

ID Health Fair fun, educational

Microsoft, Verizon, and Puget Sound Energy, among others. The event featured keynote speaker Paul Anderson of Prolango Consulting. 

The National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) Seattle hosted 105 people at a “Diversity Career Mixer” at O’Asian Kitchen in Seattle on March 13. Attendees networked with recruiters from

Northwest Asian Weekly is always looking for Asian American community news. If you are the host or an attendee of an API fundraiser, e-mail us a big photo, event highlights, and the amount of money raised. We are also looking for news about APIs in new jobs and APIs getting public recognition and awards. Please send materials to info@nwasianweekly.com with “names in the news” as the subject line.

Rising Stars: Young Female Professionals Making a Difference Honorees

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Friday, May 2, 2014 • 11:30 a.m.—1:30 p.m. • China Harbor Restaurant • 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle

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Lawyer Buckley & Associates

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Connection Desk Program Manager Global to Local

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Regional Director of Operations Panda Express Group

Courtney Gregoire Commissioner Port of Seattle

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House Representative Washington State (Democrat)

CO-CHAIRS: Carol Cheung, Elizabeth Younger, Kiku Hayashi

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Second Vice President Morgan Stanley

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32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2014

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APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2014

■ COMMUNITY news

Grants available to preserve landmarks and buildings

International Children’s Fest at Seattle Center

Help preserve individual Seattle landmarks and contributing buildings with a “Landmarks Capital” grant from 4Culture. Any type of ownership, whether private, public, or nonprofit, qualifies. The grants range from $3,000 to $30,000. There is no cash match requirement, although some level of owner cost share is encouraged. Workshops to help applicants craft a stronger application will be held at King County libraries in Redmond, Bothell, and Kent. 

The Turkish American Cultural Association of Washington will partner with the Seattle Center to bring the fifth annual International Children’s Friendship Festival to Seattle on April 12 and 13, from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on both days. The festival is “an opportunity to witness our children honor their cultures through performance and education, as well as pledge their commitment to international peace and brotherhood.” This year’s festival will take place at the Seattle Center’s Fisher Pavilion, where children representing more than 40 countries around the world will perform dances, songs, and musical performances. Some of the countries expected to participate in the festival

To apply, call Flo Lentz at 206-623-0100. For more information, see www.4culture.org/apply/ landmarks.

Photo courtesy of 4Culture

Two busted in cocaine scheme appear in Seattle federal court Two suspects arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement made their initial appearance March 27 in Seattle federal court on charges they conspired to distribute more than 60 pounds of cocaine. Harminder Singh Rai, 35, of Surrey, British Columbia, and Tuan Van Dang, 38, of San Diego, Calif., were arrested separately March 26, following an investigation by the Blaine Border Enforcement Security Task Force. According to court records, Rai, a known drug trafficker, was tailed by investigators after he entered the United States at the Blaine port of

entry. He led special agents to a Marysville motel, where it is alleged he picked up a duffle bag filled with cocaine from Dang. Rai was stopped at the border on his return trip to Canada, where fficers found 24 vacuumsealed bags containing more than 60 pounds of cocaine hidden in various locations of his vehicle. He was taken into custody. Dang was arrested in Bellingham. If convicted, both suspects face minimum mandatory sentences of 10 years in federal prison. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington is prosecuting the case. 

this year are Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Libya, Mongolia, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Seychelles, Scotland, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. In addition to stage performances, the festival will feature cultural exhibits, arts, and crafts by local ethnic communities. Admission, activities, and parking are all free.  For more information, call 206-684-7200 or visit www. seattlecenter.com.

Typhoon donations to get tax benefits On March 25, the President signed into law H.R. 3771, the “Philippines Charitable Giving Assistance Act,” which allows taxpayers to accelerate the income

tax benefits for certain charitable cash contributions, made before April 15, for the relief of victims in areas affected by Typhoon Haiyan. 

Young Filipinos sought to be 2014 Folklife Festival groomed for leadership roles to showcase India Philippine Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. announced the search for the third batch of outstanding young Filipino Americans to be groomed as leaders of their communities and partners in advancing interests of Filipino Americans. Launched in 2012 as part of Ambassador Cuisia’s advocacy to reach out to the youth, the FYLPro initiative aims to tap outstanding young Filipino Americans “who possess a sincere desire to be engaged in their respective communities and promote the Philippines’ further development.”

Participants in the program will meet with leaders of industry, legislators, media, artists, cultural experts, and entrepreneurs, as well as innovators in different fields. It will be held in Manila from July 24 to July 27, 2014.  The Philippine Embassy is taking online applications from any Filipino Americans who are interested in the leadership program at www. philippinessanfrancisco.org/news/3853. The deadline is May 25, 2014.

Northwest Folklife Festival, held each Memorial Day weekend at the Seattle Center, announced that this year’s cultural focus will be “India and its People.” Folklife is the largest freeadmission “community-powered” arts and culture festival in the nation. This year’s festival runs from May 23 through May 26.

The cultural focus will showcase a history of East Indian traditions, styles, and identities across six different stages. Special programming will include a Bollywood show, films, music, fashion, and many styles of dancing.  For more information, NWFolklife.org/festival.

KING COUNTY INVITATION TO BID Project: West Point Treatment Plant Digester 2 & 3 Repair & Roof Rehabilitation, C00882C14 Sealed Bid Time/Date: 1:30 p.m., April 17, 2014 Location Due: King County Procurement & Contract Services Section, Contracts Counter, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 Engineer’s Estimate: $700,000 Scope of Work: Corrosion repairs for the interior of the floating digester lids. Repairs include sand blasting, coating, removal of existing sumps and patching, stitch welding at structural trusses, installation of 5 anti-rotation devices on the roof and rehabilitation of existing roof for Digester 3. Work site: West Point Treatment Plant at 1400 Discovery Park Boulevard, Seattle, Washington. Contact Information: Tina Phipps, Contract Specialist, 206-263-9329, TTY Relay: 711, Fax: 206-296-7675, or tina.phipps@kingcounty.gov. A bidder may be asked to put a question in writing. No verbal answers by any County personnel or its agents and consultants will be binding on the

County. Pre-Bid Conference: April 10, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at West Point Treatment Plant, Rainier Room, 1400 Discovery Park Boulevard, Seattle, Washington. A site tour will be conducted immediately following the conference. Hardhats and safety vests are required for site tour. Subcontracting Opportunities: welding, patching, roofing, abatement Apprenticeship Requirements: No minimum Apprentice Utilization Requirement. SCS Utilization Requirements: 7% minimum requirement for King County Certified Small Contractors and Suppliers (SCS). Bid Bond: Not less than five percent (5%) of the Total Bid Price. Bid Documents Electronic copies of the plans, specifications, reference documents, and any addenda for this solicitation are available on the King County Procurement website shown below. Printed documents may also be ordered by

contacting United Reprographics at 206-382-1177. Copies of documents are not available for purchase from King County, but are available for review 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. M thru F. at the Contracts Counter: Chinook Bldg, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue Seattle, WA 98104. To receive email notifications of addenda or other important information concerning this solicitation, you must register to be a planholder under the “Solicitations” tab at the following internet link: Website: www.kingcounty.gov/procurement/ solicitations This information is available in alternate formats for individuals with disabilities upon advance request by calling 206-263-9400, TTY Relay: 711. Notes: Bids received after Sealed Bid Time will not be considered. Bidders accept all risks of late delivery, regardless of fault. King County is not responsible for any costs incurred in response to this Invitation to Bid.

see

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2014

■ WORLD news

WHO declares India polio-free By Manik Banergee Associated Press SHAHPARA, India (AP) – The scourge of polio ends in India with a lively 4-yearold girl, Rukhsar Khatoon, who became ill as a baby after her parents forgot to get her vaccinated. Her barely perceptible limp as the only lingering sign of the disease, Rukhsar was the last person to contract polio in the nation of 1.2 billion people. The World Health Organization formally declared India polio-free on March 27, after three years with no new

■ national news

cases. It said the milestone means the entire Southeast Asian region, home to a quarter of the world’s population, is considered free of the disease. Being declared polio-free once was considered all but impossible in a nation hobbled by corruption, poor sanitation, and profound poverty. Although the disease could return, eradicating it is a landmark public health achievement. This is “a day that we have dreamt about,” said Poonam Khetrpal Singh, a WHO official at a ceremony in New Delhi to declare the entire Southeast Asian region free of the disease. Singh described it as “a day that all countries fought hard for, and a day when all stakeholders come together to celebrate the victory of mankind over a dreaded disease.” Polio is a vaccine-preventable disease that has been eradicated in most countries. But it still causes paralysis

or death in some parts of the world, including Nigeria, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Children younger than 5 are especially vulnerable to the disease, which is spread through contaminated water or food. The virus attacks the central nervous system, causing paralysis of muscles that leave limbs stunted or withered. Rukhsar’s father, Abdul Shah, said the family had missed the regular polio vaccination camp in the village three years ago because Rukhsar was sick. After she recovered, the family simply forgot about getting her the polio drops. “We only got worried when she got a fever when she was around 15 months old and her foot was swollen,” Shah said. Rukhsar has recovered well. She helps her mother with chores, washing dishes by pumping water from a hand{see POLIO cont’d on page 15}

USCIS to start accepting Sen. Leland Yee’s lawyer H-1B petitions on April 1 questions FBI investigation The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the fiscal year (FY) 2015 cap on April 1. Cases will be considered accepted on the date that USCIS receives a properly filed petition with the correct fee. The congressionally mandated cap on H-1B visas for FY 2015 is 65,000. The first 20,000 H-1B petitions filed on behalf of

individuals with a U.S. master’s degree or higher are exempt from the 65,000 cap. USCIS anticipates receiving more than enough petitions to reach both caps by April 7. The agency will use a random selection process to meet the limit. Nonduplicate petitions that are not selected will be rejected and returned with the filing fees. {see H-1B cont’d on page 15}

By Associated Press A lawyer for a California state senator charged last week with bribery and gun trafficking on March 31 challenged the three-year FBI investigation that led to the arrest. Sen. Leland Yee’s attorney Paul DeMeester asked why it took until March 26 for the FBI to file charges when it appeared the investigation of his client began in 2011. “It raises fairness questions,” DeMeester said after he and Yee made a brief federal court appearance in San Francisco. “Is it fair to the public, is it fair to the senator that it took so long?” DeMeester in particular challenged why the FBI appeared to shift the focus of its probe from a cash-for-influence case to an investigation of alleged connections to international arms dealers. “There’s a question of whether the government felt it didn’t have enough evidence on the campaign investigation,

so it starts pushing on the arms trafficking,” DeMeester said. Yee hasn’t entered a plea yet. DeMeester previously said the senator plans to plead not guilty. Yee appeared Sen. Leland Yee briefly in court to discuss details of his release before trial. His next court date is April 8. He has been suspended from the Legislature. Wearing a brown pinstriped suit, Yee shot a brief smile at reporters assembled in the gallery before approaching the bench with DeMeester. Yee is currently free on a $500,000 unsecured bond. Prosecutors want property the senator owns to be used as collateral to guarantee he appears at all court hearings. Federal prosecutors said they are close to {see YEE cont’d on page 15}

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APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2014

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR THU 4/3 THRU SUN 4/6 WHAT: Shen Yun 2014 WHERE: McCaw Hall, Seattle Center, 321 Mercer St., Seattle WHEN: 4/3 & 4/4 at 7:30 p.m., 4/5 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., 4/6 at 2 p.m. COST: $70-$180 TICKETS: ticketmaster.com, 800-745-3000 INFO: shenyun.com

FRI 4/4 WHAT: OneAmerica (immigrant advocacy group) 2014 annual celebration WHERE: The Westin Seattle, 1900 5th Ave., Seattle WHEN: 5-9 p.m. COST: $95 INFO: 206-452-8411 WHAT: April Monthly Luncheon featuring Arden Clise WHERE: Han’s Garden, 3020

78th Ave. S.E., Mercer Island WHEN: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. COST: $15/members, $20/at the door

SAT 4/5 WHAT: “The Connoisseurship of Longing: Paintings of 17thcentury India” lecture by Molly Aitken WHERE: Seattle Asian Art Museum, 1400 E. Prospect St., Seattle WHEN: 9:30–11 a.m. COST: $5–$10 INFO: 206-654-3100 WHAT: Tea celebration hosted by Una Southall WHERE: Asia Pacific Cultural Center, 4851 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma WHEN: 10 a.m. COST: $5–$10 INFO: 253-383-3900

■ briefly Mayor announces $2 million in investments for neighborhood business districts The Chinatown-International District will receive a lion’s share of a $2 million investment in 18 neighborhood business districts, announced Mayor Ed Murray on April 1, as part of the Only in Seattle Initiative. “This investment in neighborhood business districts is critical to our city,” said the mayor. “Healthy business districts equate to thriving businesses, stable jobs, and overall success for our city.” According to the mayor’s office, small businesses employ 72 percent of Seattle’s workforce and contribute 35 percent of the city’s business tax revenues, totaling $55.4 million. Local neighborhood business districts serve as the location and incubators for many of the city’s small businesses. “The Only in Seattle Initiative is a great complement to the city’s neighborhood planning efforts that have happened throughout the years,” said Seattle City Councilmember Sally J. Clark, chair of the Committee on Housing Affordability, Human Services, and Economic Resiliency. The Office of Economic Development’s (OED) Only in Seattle Initiative focuses on business and retail development, marketing and promotion, graffiti removal, safe alleys, streetscape, and more. The International District will receive $580,000. Nearly $1.5 million will be spread out among districts in Ballard, Beacon Hill, Capitol Hill, Rainier Valley, the University District, Belltown, the Central District, First Hill, Georgetown, Lake City, South Park, Columbia City, Fremont, Roosevelt, Pioneer Square, and the Pike/Pine corridor downtown. 

TUE 4/8

SAT 4/12

WHAT: Chamber music by Trio con Brio Copenhagen — Korean sisters Soo-Jin Hong and SooKyung Hong and Danish pianist Jens Elvekjaer WHERE: University of Washington, Meany Hall WHEN: 7:30 p.m. COST: $10–$39 INFO: 206-685-4141, www. meany.org/tickets/?prod=6307

WHAT: “Love and the ‘Modern Girl’ in Japan, 1920s–30s” lecture by Michiko Suzuki WHERE: Seattle Asian Art Museum, 1400 E. Prospect St., Seattle WHEN: 9:30–11 a.m. COST: $5–$10 INFO: 206-654-3100

WHAT: International Women’s Day March Call for Gender Justice/Musical Brigade & Rally “Bring the Noise! Sound the Resilience!” with appearances by Kshama Sawant, the Fandango Project, and Rogue Pinay. WHERE: Pratt Park, 1800 S. Main St., Seattle. Post-rally event at Hing Hay Park, 423 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 11 a.m. INFO: 360-990-9424

WHAT: Interim CDA’s 45th Anniversary, “Sapphire Gala: Celebrate a Legacy of Justice” WHERE: Seattle Marriott Waterfront, 2100 Alaskan Way, Seattle WHEN: 5:30 p.m. COST: $150/individual, $1,500/ table INFO: www.interimicda.org, 206-624-1802, extension 10 WHAT: Spring Lu’au – a Polynesion experience for the family with dinner and show WHERE: Dinner at Wheelock

Student Center at University of Puget Sound, N. Lawrence & N. 15th; show at Memorial Fieldhouse, N. 11th St. & Union Ave. WHEN: Dinner 6–8 p.m., show 8 p.m. COST: $9–$23 INFO: 253-879-6013 WHAT: Kollaboration talent showcase WHERE: Meydenbauer Center, 11100 6th St., Bellevue WHEN: 7 p.m. COST: $15–$20 INFO: 413-367-8368

SAT 4/12 & SUN 4/13 WHAT: International Children’s Friendship Festival WHERE: Seattle Center Fisher Pavillion WHEN: 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. COST: Free INFO: 206-684-7200, www. seattlecenter.com

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32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2014

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APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2014

■ on the shelf

Memoirs and life stories

By Samantha Pak Northwest Asian Weekly

Kapoho, Memoir of a Modern Pompeii By Frances H. Kakugawa Watermark Publishing, 2011

Frances Kakugawa was only 5 years old when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941. Despite still being quite young, she quickly learned what that meant for her and her Japanese American family living in the village of Kapoho on Hawaii’s Big Island. Her family was loyal to the United States, but they still had roots in Japan and were forced to get rid of almost all evidence of these roots during World War II. This is just one of many stories Kakugawa shares in “Kapoho.” The book is about her life growing up in a small plantation village in Hawaii. She also shares how she worked hard to speak like a “haole,” or a white person, in an effort to realize her dream of becoming a writer and poet, as well as the special relationship she shared with her mother throughout her life. Kakugawa’s memoir is a collection of vignettes, showing readers little snapshots of her life from childhood to adulthood. She didn’t have it easy. Her family was far from wealthy, and being Japanese during the war was more than a little difficult. But despite those difficult times, Kakugawa has fond memories of befriending American soldiers, as they stood guard throughout Kapoho, and of working as a maid for a white family to pay her way through college. She does not dwell on the bad parts. Instead, she focuses on the bright spots

during the dark periods, reminding readers that even in the worst of times, there will always be a reason to smile. Throughout her stories, Kakugawa also gives us a glimpse into the simplicity of island life during that time. From lighting a fire to heat up the bathwater to not having to wear shoes to primary school, Kakugawa shares details that may seem minor, but paint a full picture of what it was like to grow up in Hawaii.

Fresh off the Boat

By Eddie Huang Spiegel & Grau Trade Paperbacks, 2013 Eddie Huang generally doesn’t have

a problem expressing his feelings. If something makes him happy, he’ll let you know. If something makes him sad, he’ll let you know. If something makes him mad, he’ll let you know. If you make him mad, he’ll definitely let you know — most likely, violently. “Fresh off the Boat” tells Huang’s life story, beginning with his happy childhood in the DMV area (D.C., Maryland and Virginia), surrounded by family and friends. But everything changes when his family moves to Orlando and Huang finds himself navigating his way through middle school and high school as a Taiwanese kid in a predominantly white community. Filled with ups and downs —

and a few detours and U-turns along the way — Huang shares how he came to be where he is today. He is the owner of his own restaurant, making it in New York. Despite all the hi-jinks that ensue from his act-first-think-later approach to life and his comic delivery, underneath it all, he is an angry and lost young man trying to figure out where he fits in the world. He doesn’t hold back, showing what it was like to be raised by abusive parents he could never please, to be enrolled in the gifted class while not even caring about school, and to be a kid who was never white enough for his peers and not Asian enough for his family. {see SHELF cont’d on page 13}

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2014

asianweekly northwest

APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2014

OPINION

Photos by John Liu/NWAW

Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW

■ publisher’s blog Impressive art raises 400K for the Wing

Gerard Tsutakawa, center, with Meera and Sujal Patel, who paid $7,500 for his bronze sculpture, “Twilight.”

Young volunteers get support for The Wing Luke’s youth programs.

Cheryl Fujii Zahniser used Asian newsprint to make this mixed media piece, “The Royal Couple.”

The Wing Luke Asian Museum showcased a parade of impressive Asian Americans’ artwork at its annual dinner last Saturday at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel. More than 50 Asian Americans created some of their most amazing pieces for The Wing’s auction, which raised $400,000. More than 500 guests, including elected officials and members from the mainstream and Asian communities, gathered to support the event. People have been showing up for years to support the only pan-Asian museum in the country. Mind you, each ticket is $175. To keep its crowd over 500 annually is quite an achievement. The Wing is able to attract many of its repeat customers year after year. The Wing has become smart in auctioning many of its items with duplicates. When the bid went high, the auctioneer enjoyed

telling the bidders that he had two instead of one to sell to the top two bidders.

The bids skyrocketed above what some in the audience had in mind. The horse painting sold to two different guests for $2,400 each. Lo, a painter and calligrapher, said she only needed to spend one hour to paint each of the pieces. The buyers might respond with, “Oh no!” But wait, if you knew Lo’s process, you would understand. Now 80 years old, she said, “I have to paint many, many pieces to pick one good one.” That could mean throwing away 20 to 30 artworks before she is completely satisfied with the perfect set of eight horses. Why eight and not five? In Chinese culture, eight symbolizes luck. What a way to tie in with the Year of the Horse! Lo has spent her whole life practicing drawing horses. Lo’s daughter Katherine Cheng, Wing’s board member, wrote in her email, “My mom started painting when she was 63.

Young volunteers display “Lolan Lo Cheng’s “Eight Horses.”

Strong and generous board

Ellen Ferguson, co-president of The Wing board for the past 11 years, always sets a great example for board members to follow. Although the auctioneer asked for $5,000 as the highest amount from the audience, Ferguson often exceeded the “ask” by donating $10,000. Proceeds fund The Wing’s youth programs. Not only that, the board members often invite wealthy folks who are willing to write checks and bid high for auction items. That made a big difference in the total amount raised. If you think you can get a deal at the Wing’s auction, I would suggest it never works. My friend was thinking of bidding $800 on Lolan Lo’s “Eight Horses” painting. But the board members quickly outbid him.

Photos by George Liu /NWAW

Stuffed with yummy food at the annual Veggie fest

Sausuage makers

I haven’t been able to resist going to Veggie Fest for the past eight years. I notice how full I am after every visit and how satisfying it is to bring samples home. The cereal samples will be handy when I travel overseas. It’s just hard to say ‘no’ to free food. Hey, I am also doing these volunteers a favor. Imagine if nobody took the samples and they had to haul them back to the sponsors or suppliers. Or simply throw the food away. That would be a waste! My favorite food at the fest was an almond and chocolate popsicle. The “crunchy sucker” is what I could die for. Other delicious goodies included veggie sausage and faux hamburger. Did I eat healthy stuff at the fest? Not if I overate and not if some samples consisted of a lot of sugar, like the almond and chocolate popsicle. Who cares? It’s one

Sausage bugers

Popsicle

Tofu

of my pleasures, and I eat it without guilt. But I wouldn’t eat it every day or even every week! If you missed the fest this year, don’t worry. Mark it on your calendar for March 2015, and go with friends or family. It’s a fun event. 

Want to get the inside scoop on the latest happenings of Seattle’s Asian American community? Follow Publisher Assunta Ng’s blog at nwasianweekly.com under the Opinion section.

Photo by John Liu/NWAW

Nancy Abramson, Lolan Lo Cheng, Sally Henriques, and Katherine Cheng.

She was a cancer researcher and she began to paint in this style a few years before she retired. She paints on rice paper and it’s bordered with silk paper. Horses are her favorite subject because of the movement and the ability to capture the strength. But she also loves to paint flowers, especially peonies and scenery as well.” 

KING COUNTY INVITATION TO BID Project: South Treatment Plant Digesters 2, 3, and 4 Roof Equipment Replacement and Coating, C00884C14 Sealed Bid Time/Date: 1:30 p.m., April 17, 2014 Location Due: King County Procurement & Contract Services Section, Contracts Counter, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 Engineer’s Estimate: $2,400,000 to $2,800,000 Scope of Work: Work includes, but is not limited to: 1: Replacing all aging roof equipment including piping, pressure relief valves, frame arresters, three-way valve, manhole covers and drain sump access caps. 2. Roof Interiors: Sand blasting, inspection, repair and painting of roof interior. 3. Roof Exterior: Roof deck crack repair, penetration foam repairs, perimeter edge sealing, and roof deck coating. 4. Roof Lid Caster/Roller Modification: Replacement of the 28 caster/rollers on the digester lid. Work site: South Treatment Plant; 1200 Monster Road S.W., Renton WA 98057. Contact Information: Tina Phipps, Contract Specialist, 206-263-9329, TTY Relay: 711, Fax: 206-296-7675, or tina.phipps@kingcounty.gov. A bidder may be asked to put a question in writing. No verbal answers by any County personnel or its agents and consultants will be binding on the County. MANDATORY Pre-Bid / Site Tour: April 8, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. or April 9, 2014 at 10:00 a.m., at the South Treatment Plant; Administration Bldg, 1200 Monster Road S.W., Renton WA 98057. A site tour will be conducted immediately following the conference. Hardhats, safety vest, and safety boots are required for site tour. FAILURE TO ATTEND ONE OF THE MANDATORY MEETINGS AND SITE

TOUR WILL RESULT IN A NON-RESPONSIVE BID DETERMINATION. A sign in sheet will provide evidence of attendance. It is your responsibility to ensure your sign in and out. Subcontracting Opportunities: Thermal Protection Apprenticeship Requirements: 3% minimum Apprentice Utilization Requirement. SCS Utilization Requirements: 7% minimum requirement for King County Certified Small Contractors and Suppliers (SCS). Bid Bond: Not less than five percent (5%) of the Total Bid Price. Bid Documents Electronic copies of the plans, specifications, reference documents, and any addenda for this solicitation are available on the King County Procurement website shown below. Printed documents may also be ordered by contacting United Reprographics at 206-382-1177. Copies of documents are not available for purchase from King County, but are available for review 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. M thru F. at the Contracts Counter: Chinook Bldg, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue Seattle, WA 98104. To receive email notifications of addenda or other important information concerning this solicitation, you must register to be a planholder under the “Solicitations” tab at the following internet link: Website: www.kingcounty.gov/ procurement/solicitations This information is available in alternate formats for individuals with disabilities upon advance request by calling 206-263-9400, TTY Relay: 711. Notes: Bids received after Sealed Bid Time will not be considered. Bidders accept all risks of late delivery, regardless of fault. King County is not responsible for any costs incurred in response to this Invitation to Bid.

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2014

OPINION

■ commentaries Preventing transit Expand opportunities for Native Hawaiians cuts will be a win for our communities and Pacific Islanders By Diane Narasaki and Rich Stolz

Diane Narasaki

Rich Stolz

Without action soon, King County Metro will cut 17 percent of its transit service, with the first cuts taking place as early as June of this year. As many as 74 routes, including routes critical to the mobility of Asian Pacific American communities, are slated to be completely eliminated. Another 107 routes will be restructured or reduced. The potential cuts to transit service aren’t just about buses and routes. They represent people’s livelihoods and the connections that hold our communities

■ letters

together. Past cuts to service have already taken a toll. What was once a 30-minute, one-seat ride to Asian Counseling and Referral Services now takes 90 minutes with transfers and multiple buses for some riders. If further cuts take place, this type of experience would be multiplied across the county. At stake is the ability of elders or other individuals who cannot drive to live independently or to access basic human and health services, of students scrambling to get to their college classes on time, or of workers navigating our transit system to get to work, take their children to child care and run errands at the grocery store. The Asian Pacific American community is growing across our county, and our communities would be impacted in every corner of the region. As any bus rider who has been passed up {see TRANSIT cont’d on page 15}

By Sefa Aina For Northwest Asian Weekly In February, President Obama launched his My Brother’s Keeper Initiative to expand opportunity for all young men and boys of color. This initiative builds upon collaboration between leading foundations and businesses to ensure that all young men and boys are able to achieve their full potential, regardless of their background. As an educator who works closely with Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth and students on a daily basis, I have seen firsthand the many challenges and barriers that young men and boys of color face. Low graduation rates and bullying are among these challenges. My Brother’s Keeper is an important step in furthering the president’s commitment to improving the quality of life and opportunities for all, including the AAPI community. In order to work effectively to address the

needs of young men and boys of color, we need to have compelling data — data that is disaggregated and detailed enough to illuminate the areas where the community’s needs are the greatest. On March 21, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights released the results of its 2011-2012 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC). With data collected from every public school and school district across the country, the CRDC provides a detailed portrait of student equity and opportunity trends locally and nationwide for Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians/ Pacific Islanders (NHPIs). The data is disaggregated by seven race and ethnicity categories, and this year marks the first time the CRDC has included data on NHPIs and multiracial students. The CRDC shows that during the study, {see MY BROTHER’S KEEPER cont’d on page 15}

Tak a more balanced view of “banana slip”

Biased, wrong reporting

Dear Editor, Eric Liu’s recent commentary in your paper (originally appearing on CNN) titled “China’s Awkward Banana Slip,” referencing China’s view that Gary Locke is a “banana,” is written from a viewpoint of political correctness, but with somewhat sensationalistic undertones. My position is that we should take a more balanced view of this particular comment that was made in an editorial in China’s state media. Let me start first by going back in history. Beginning in the second half of the 19th century and continuing for several decades, the British, French, Germans, Russians, and Japanese, through superior military power, controlled parts of China. The Chinese never forgot their humiliation at the hands of these mostly “white” countries. America today, for all the talk about diversity, is still mostly white. According to Wikipedia, whites make up 72 percent of our population. Although President Obama is African American, he is also half white. And his cabinet is 69 percent white, despite his pledge to appoint more minorities. In the business world, the lack of diversity is even more telling. Less than 6 percent of Fortune 500 company CEOs are nonwhite. Liu writes that the Chinese wrongly assume that to be American is to be white. Gary Locke has ably represented American interests and values during his appointment in China, but given that statistics show that the power base in America is effectively white, can we really blame China for thinking that Locke is doing the work of the white man? Although I think Locke is a great American and I support many of the

Dear Editor, I saw a story on your 6 p.m. news clip last night reported by Lynda Byron on the mayor’s minimum wage symposium that was very biased and wrong. In the news clip, Ms. Byron interviewed and reported that the symposium attendees consisted of all supporters for the minimum wage increase and there was only one lone person attending that was opposed. I can attest that this statement is wrong as I was there at the event, as were many of my

positions he has taken as our representative in China, he does not strike me as someone who is very culturally Chinese. As Liu alluded to, he doesn’t even speak Chinese. I suspect from the viewpoint of Asians in Asia, he does not come across as being very Asian. This is all understandably so, as he grew up in America. And this perception does not just apply to Locke but to Asian Americans who grew up in the United States. They look Asian, but most of them can’t speak the language of their immigrant parents, and most only have a superficial knowledge of their cultural heritage and customs. This is probably not something second- or thirdgeneration Asian Americans would like to hear, but it’s the truth. We should therefore not feel insulted or take umbrage if our Asian friends across the Pacific view Gary Locke as being less Asian than they are themselves. We are Americans after all. As much as we would like to pretend that race has nothing to do with it all, and that we are all a melting pot and color blind and American, it actually has a lot to do with why he was sent to China. Locke’s ethnic Chinese background, and the fact that the Chinese raved about him as being one of theirs when he was governor, is precisely one of the main reasons why President Obama chose him, despite the fact that he actually supported Hillary Clinton during the run for the White House. So, while I think the banana rant is unfortunate and was likely used for political reasons, I also think Liu’s commentary is overly one-sided.  — David Grant

The following letter to King 5 News was sent to the NW Asian Weekly for publication.

fellow small business owners. We are all opposing the minimum wage increase. The attendees were made up of a good mix of both sides of the debate and we were there to learn and listen. However, the kind of statements made by your reporter sends the wrong message to the people and voters of Seattle, that most people are in support of the wage increase when that is not true. This leaves me to beg the question if King 5 is in support of this initiative and is using the King 5 media platform to sway public opinion.  — Taylor Hoang, Seattle

asianweekly northwest

APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2014

{MINIMUM WAGE cont’d from page 1}

Healthcare 775NW — to come up with recommendations for Murray by the end of April.

Photo by James Tabafunda/NWAW

The minority effect

Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant

is income inequality and why should we be concerned? And what is a “living wage” in Seattle? The event — co-sponsored by the City of Seattle, Seattle University, and Local Progress — invited academic researchers, city councilmembers from around the nation, business owners, and concerned citizens to share their findings and thoughts. Their feedback will be used by the Income Inequality Advisory Committee — co-chaired by Howard Wright, founder and CEO of the Seattle Hospitality Group, and David Rolf, president of SEIU {RECONCILIATION PARK cont’d from page 1} When Dr. Murdock and his wife moved to Tacoma in 1991, the two came across an old news article that detailed the expulsion of Chinese citizens from Tacoma. An influx of Chinese had settled in the Pacific Northwest in the 1880s to work on the railroad. When an economic recession hit after completion of the railroad, an antiChinese movement quickly swept the nation. In 1885, Tacoma’s then-mayor and its leading citizens infamously exiled the city’s Chinese community out of town, and were celebrated for it. Disturbed by this news and painfully aware that the city needed to resolve its past, Dr. Murdock submitted a citizen’s proposal for a symbolic, physical space to reconcile for Tacoma’s crimes in 1885. The Tacoma City Council invited 18 people from the community to serve on a citizens committee and act as a sounding board for the project. The Tacoma Chinese Garden and Reconciliation Park was proposed as a result. In 1993, the Tacoma City Council unanimously approved the project. The citizens committee eventually disbanded and a more formal organization developed, known as the Chinese Reconciliation Projection Foundation (CRPF). The CRPF is a nonprofit in Tacoma that advocates civic harmony through its projects, such as the Chinese Reconciliation Park. Although the park belongs to the city, the CRPF works closely with the City of Tacoma to support them in building the park and securing its funding. This is how Theresa Pan-Hosley first became involved. Pan-Hosley’s work with the local Chinese community earned her an invitation onto the citizens committee. This eventually led to her becoming president of the Foundation and overseeing CRPF’s multiple civic projects. “One of my biggest challenges is getting funding in place so we can proceed as we want,” said Pan-Hosley. Between making pitches to legislators and hosting annual fundraisers, Pan-Hosley admits there is still difficulty in securing the necessary funds for the park’s original construction plans.

Timeline for the park

Construction first broke ground in

“Here in Seattle, we know that the weight of this economic disparity falls disproportionately on people of color and on women,” Murray said. More than 40 percent of Asian and Pacific Islander workers earn less than $15 an hour. Murray mentioned attending a dinner last week with local Vietnamese restaurant owners, saying, “Quite honestly, they’re afraid about the impacts on their already struggling businesses.” He then asked supporters of a higher minimum wage to “engage in a dialogue with these folks, that these mostly immigrant, small-owned restaurants are people that we should be working with because they are also employees of their own businesses.” Taylor Hoang is the owner of Pho Cyclo Café, a chain of five Vietnamese restaurants throughout Seattle and Bellevue. A businesswoman for the last 10 years, she attended the symposium and says it did not present any information that might help small business owners like her. In February, protestors gathered in downtown Seattle to “Boycott McPoverty” and push for a $15/hour minimum wage, carrying red signs that read, “Seattle Needs 2005 and revolves around four building phases. Phases I and II have long been implemented, and includes waterfront trails, beach restoration, Chinese garden landscaping, and the Fuzhou Ting pavilion, a gift specially donated by Tacoma’s sister city Fuzhou, China. Funding was recently secured for Phase III, which will see modest additions to the park, such as a parking lot, lighting, landscaping upkeep, and interpretive signs to guide visitors around the park. Phase III will be built and installed by 2015. However, Phase IV details some of the park’s most ambitious additions yet. The final stage involves the installation of a multicultural pavilion, which would house classrooms and serve as a community space, in addition to a new courtyard, waterfall, and a bay-viewing terrace and pond. The total cost for the park currently sits at $21.7 million, with the unfunded Phase IV comprising an estimated $12 million of that cost. Pan-Hosley expects the multicultural pavilion to act as the park’s centerpiece. It would double as a key meeting area in the community, as well as an education center where classes would be held, focusing on Chinese art and culture. “How much does the community really know about Chinese culture?” asked PanHosley. “This is part of the reason why I feel like this multicultural pavilion is important. It will not only educate people about Chinese culture, but people can explore and showcase their own culture to the community.”

Funding the park

Former state representative Dennis Flannigan first became involved with the CRPF after making a donation to the park during its early stages. He was invited to sit on the board. Flannigan recently retired from the CRPF’s board after serving for 10 years, and has been instrumental in securing funding for the park during his tenure. He cites increasing Tacoma’s multicultural harmony as the primary reason for his involvement. “The larger difficulty with funding the multicultural pavilion is that, while funding is still difficult, others are wary of committing to something that requires full operation and maintenance,” Flannigan said, adding that the CRPF is trying to figure out what kind of endowments would sustain a school.

a Raise – 15 NOW.” Concerned that a $15/hour minimum wage would cause prices at her four Seattle restaurants to go up, Hoang said, “What do I do for the store in Bellevue? It’s not fair to the locals in Bellevue that I should match the price in Seattle, but if I don’t raise my prices and my suppliers are raising their prices, I’m at a loss in Bellevue.” The notion of fairness also applies to her long-time employees, people who are paid more than the current minimum wage. She also has part-time workers who are college students. “They’re coming in at $15 if this passes, and that’s not fair to the employees that I have that have worked for me for five to eight years,” Hoang said. “We employ a lot of Vietnamese immigrants in order to help them get started in this country, and we don’t have a choice of better skilled, a huge pool of people who are looking for jobs to pick from like the majority of the other larger businesses.” Hoang says small business owners like her are “stuck with a small group of under-skilled workers that we still have to pay $15. By doing that, we put ourselves out of business and are putting them at a disadvantage because we can’t continue to hire them, so it comes back to them not addressing these bottom-line issues.” Panelists Ken Jacobs and Professor Michael Reich of the University of

California, Berkeley presented their study on the impact of minimum wage laws. It states that increased labor costs can be absorbed from the savings from such factors as “reduced worker turnover and improved efficiency.” Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant served as a panelist for the afternoon session titled “Addressing the Problem Through Minimum Wage — Exploring Solutions.” “What kind of society are we aiming to be if we’re not going to fight for the majority of our population to have decent living standards and dignity of life?” Sawant asked the audience. Supporting the $15/hour minimum wage, she said, “I don’t want to be defending a system that argues that the only way you can survive is by keeping a majority of the work force in poverty. We have to recognize that immigrants are the backbone of this community, of this entire nation, especially undocumented migrants and their children provide a lot of the hardest of the work and some of the most invisible of the work.” 

“It’s one thing to build a school, but it’s another thing completely to staff it.” Funding for the park stems from state and federal grants, the city’s own capital dollars, and private donations that CRPF secures. During the past 20 years, nearly $10 million has been used to fund the first three phases of the park. Lihuang Wung serves as the intermediary between the city and CRPF. In 2009, Wung took over as the project manager overseeing development of the park. He works closely with the CRPF in putting together state and federal grant applications, and he sits on the Foundation’s board. Wung notes that Phase IV comes with its unique set of financial challenges. Grants are increasingly more difficult to obtain, he said, and a limited city budget means that funding for city projects is scarce, especially for social services. “We are in the process of deciding whether or not to break up Phase IV,” said Wung. “Since the project started 20 years ago, we have installed structures in the park according to our original master site plan. But since the plan faces new budget

constraints, we need to ask ourselves, what strategies do we have for the park moving forward?” Due to the large amount of funding needed for Phase IV, Wung says that the team may look into alternative forms of funding, or break up Phase IV into smaller phases, and figure out how to finance them individually. Still, even though the park faces funding difficulties, the board never loses sight of its primary goal for the future. “I would like it to have a dynamic cultural life,” said Flannigan. “Not just for Chinese people or to enhance perspective, but I would also like to see a cooperative relationship between other Asian cultures. To me, ‘reconciliation’ is a word that houses all cultures — not just a reference to the past relationship between Tacoma and its Chinese citizens.” 

For videos of the Income Inequality Symposium, visit www.seattlechannel.org. James Tabafunda can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

For more information, visit the park website at www.tacomachinesepark.org, or see www.cityoftacoma.org/planning. Vivian Nguyen can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ astrology

APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2014

For the week of April 5–April 11, 2014 By Sun Lee Chang Rat — Your personality really shines when you are in your element. The trick is to carry that confidence into other areas. Ox — Are you moving a bit slower today than usual? Perhaps something is weighing you down that is best left behind. Tiger — Do you have a friend that only contacts you when he or she needs a favor? Remember that in a true friendship, there should be give and take on both sides. Rabbit — While opposites may attract, they can repel each other as well. You will need to go beyond labels to find out if you are truly compatible.

Dragon — Repeating yourself could get very tiresome. Instead of continuing in the same vein, see if there is a way to show you mean business the first time around. Snake — Why are you trying so hard to get someone else’s approval? Figure out what you want first before you cloud the picture.

Monkey — After a lackluster couple of months, the pendulum is about to swing in your favor. This is just the beginning of what could be a wild ride. Rooster — So much of what you see before you can be changed. If you are not satisfied, then make the necessary adjustments.

Horse — Do you find it useful to think out loud? Although it can be helpful, be aware of who may be listening.

Dog — Have you been holding a lot inside, instead of letting it out? It doesn’t have to be released all at once, but you should start communicating your expectations.

Goat — You have been ready to go for quite some time. Your patience will be rewarded as you will now be able to hit the ground running.

Pig — Feeling guilty about treating yourself? We all need a little something every now and then as a reminder that there are benefits to working hard.

What’s your animal sign? Rat 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 Ox 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 Tiger 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 Rabbit 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 Dragon 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 Snake 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 Horse 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 Goat 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003 Monkey 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004 Rooster 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 Dog 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 Pig 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

*The year ends on the first new moon of the following year. For those born in January and February, please take care when determining your sign.

{SHELF cont’d from page 8} Amidst this pain and chaos, Huang also shares with readers his two great loves — the two things that always spoke to him — food and hip hop. From offering tips on how to make the best Taiwanese beef noodle soup to sharing rap lyrics that reflect any given moment of his life, it is clear that these were the most influential aspects of Huang’s life outside of his family. We’re reminded that no matter how confusing or painful life can get, sometimes something as simple as enjoying a good meal or listening to a good song is enough let us know things could be worse.

L.A. Son, My Life, My City, My Food

By Roy Choi, with Tien Nguyen and Natasha Phan, Photography by Bobby Fisher HarperCollins Publishers, 2013 Growing up in Los Angeles in a Korean immigrant family in the 1970s and 1980s, Roy Choi saw his share of ups and downs. His family ran a number of successful — then failing — businesses, including a liquor store, jewelry store, and Korean restaurant. As a result, Choi knew what it was like to have money and to not have money. He watched his parents work hard at whatever venture they pursued. He took this work ethic and applied it to his own life, but not always in the most productive ways. He struggled in school, did drugs for some time, and developed a gambling habit. Choi hit rock bottom more than once, but that rarely stopped him. He was driven, but whether it was toward destruction or toward success, it was hard to tell. It was this drive and a penchant for wanting to do things his own way that led Choi

to come up with the Korean taco and change the face of street food. His struggles show readers that life is never easy and sometimes things have to get worse — in some cases, much worse — before they can get better. But Choi kept at it and persevered, showing us that the struggle is worth it. Throughout Choi’s story are recipes, including Korean dishes straight from his family’s kitchen, as well as American classics and traditional dishes from other cultures. These recipes reflect not only Choi’s heritage, but also that of Los Angeles, where different cultures meet to make up the City of Angels. In addition to Choi’s story and the recipes, the book is filled with photos. From the various dishes to shots of different parts of Los Angeles, these photos help paint the picture of Choi’s life and show readers exactly what it is about L.A. that is so great.  Samantha Pak can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Doctors’ Discovery Helps Diabetes

PHILADELPHIA – A team of doctors has found that a formulation of exotic sounding herbs and spices gives diabetics new hope. The formula, called Cinnatrol™ promotes healthy blood sugar levels by effectively metabolizing glucose into energy. In a research study, all patients taking just one capful of the liquid (one ounce) daily, dramatically lowered their blood sugar levels compared to a placebo group. Another scientific study found that an ingredient in Cinnatrol™ made insulin 20 times more capable converting blood sugar to energy. While individual results vary, one patient in the study lowered his blood sugar from 220-245 to the 100-130 range in only

28 days, despite being instructed not to change his dietary habits or physical activity. Some patients, under their doctors care, have been able to reduce or eliminate their need for diabetic drugs. Scientists say that Cinnatrol™ actually helps diabetic drugs to work more efficiently. Additional information is available at www.cinnatrol.com. Cinnatrol™ is available without a prescription at pharmacies and nutrition stores or call 1-877-581-1502.

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Have a story idea that you think would fit perfectly in Northwest Asian Weekly? We want to know about it. Send it to us at info@nwasianweekly.c om.

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Doctors’ Discovery Helps Diabetes

being instructed not to change his dietary habits or physical activity. Some patients, under their doctors care, have been able to reduce or eliminate their need for diabetic drugs. Scientists say that Cinnatrol™ actually helps diabetic drugs to work more efficiently. Additional information is available at www.cinnatrol.com. Cinnatrol™ is available without a prescription at pharmacies and nutrition stores or call 1877-581-1502. Now at select

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32 YEARS YOUR VOICE

{ETHNIC MEDIA cont’d from page 1} Chinese Post, and others. Topics covered immigrants, the police, minimum wage, the taxi industry, small businesses, and technology. The first thing the mayor wanted to discuss was the upcoming Seattle Neighborhood Summit on April 5 at the Seattle Center, which will focus on the needs of local businesses and residents in terms of growth, diversity, schools, and economic equity. The second thing was the increased funding for the “newly energized” Office of Immigration and Refugee Affairs (OIRA), whose director, Aaliyah Gupta, was also on hand. Noting that one in five residents of Seattle are foreign-born, the mayor stressed the importance of serving immigrants’ needs. Gupta said the goals of OIRA are to strengthen language access, expand ESL programs, support immigrant-owned small businesses, promote citizenship, and build trust. The mayor agreed with one questioner that many immigrants’ skills are underutilized in their fields of expertise. He said that OIRA would target colleges and universities to address those issues and find ways to get

highly skilled people certified for work. He also said he wanted to work with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to promote naturalization of eligible local residents. The issue of the $15/hour minimum wage garnered several inquiries, specifically regarding how small and minorityowned businesses will afford to pay it. The mayor said his task force will bring business owners, labor leaders, and nonprofit organizations together to hammer out a way to raise the minimum wage without hurting small businesses. He also said he “would be happy to come to the International District” to specifically address both that issue and the business disruptions caused by the streetcar construction. He said he would bring his minimum wage task force and members of the City Council along. The mayor responded to questions about Seattle’s police force, stating that last week he received a letter from the Department of Justice addressing the city’s progress. Since becoming mayor, he said, Seattle’s police force has “the most diverse command staff in the city’s history,” citing the department’s recent hiring of two East African Americans for the first time. “We have a lot of work to do to bring people of color

will pay a reduced license fee. Furthermore, this measure will not just keep our buses running. Funds raised by the ballot measure, if it passes, will help to fill potholes, build sidewalks, fix bridges, and maintain roads neglected for too long in our county. If we fail to pass this measure, we hurt ourselves. Drivers will face more congestion and longer commutes as 30,000 additional cars return to our already crowded roads. And our economy and our environment will suffer. By voting yes, we have a chance to stop bus cuts, fix our crumbling streets, and make it easier and safer to get around King County. We urge you to vote yes to preserve transit service on April 22. 

{TRANSIT cont’d from page 11} by an overcrowded bus or forced to stand for an entire commute can tell you, these cuts couldn’t be coming at a worse time. Metro should be growing by 15 percent just to reduce crowding and keep up with demand. Instead, we are talking about more cuts. But on April 22, we have an opportunity to prevent these cuts by voting for a ballot measure sent to the voters by the King County Council. The measure asks King County residents to make a modest increase to taxes and fees — a $60 vehicle fee and .01 percent sales tax increase — that would cost the average household about $11/month. But thanks to the work of advocates from across the region, the proposal would also make sure that low-income bus riders and car owners can still afford to get around. Those making less than $23,000/year can get a reduced bus fare that will save bus riders between $35-54/month. And low-income car owners

Diane Narasaki is the executive director of Asian Counseling & Referral Services. Rich Stolz is executive director of OneAmerica Votes.

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APRIL 5 – APRIL 11, 2014

into the command staff,” he said, stressing the importance of a police force that reflects and relates to the community it serves. The mayor asked those in attendance to help him by informing their readers of opportunities to join the police force. The papers offered to sell him ads to that effect. Regarding broadband access, the mayor denied reports that he specifically supported lifting rules on CenturyLink, saying he hadn’t decided yet, and that he is working with technology people to provide access to every citizen at a reasonable cost. The mayor also discussed how the city will be working its way “through a very complex series of issues” facing the taxi industry. “We need to de-regulate,” he said, adding that Seattle taxis currently pay the most expensive insurance rates in the nation. He said regulations should continue for insurance, equipment safety, and background checks on drivers. The mayor promised the city would spend money on advertising in ethnic media outlets when there is a need to disseminate information to their specific readers.  Sue Misao can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly. com.

{MY BROTHER’S KEEPER cont’d from page 11} 7 percent of NHPI boys received out-ofschool suspensions, whereas only 3 percent of NHPI girls received out-of-school suspensions. In addition, in Mississippi, the out-of-school suspension rates for NHPI boys and girls reached 41 percent and 22 percent respectively. With this new data, the CRDC joins the U.S. Department of Education’s “Higher Education: Gaps in Access and Persistence” study as an immensely important tool in shedding light on the experience of young men and boys in our communities. The study, produced by the department’s National Center for Education Statistics, examines gaps in educational participation and attainment between males and females overall and within racial/ethnic groups. The report includes data on Asian Americans and NHPIs and looks at 46 indicators of important developments and trends in the education of males and females within and across specific racial/ethnic groups to explore the educational achievements and challenges of males and females. The incredible opportunities presented {POLIO cont’d from page 5} pump that supplies the household’s drinking water. She plays easily with her three other siblings, all younger than 10. “But if she walks for long, or runs around too much, her leg aches,” Sabedabibi said. In 2011, when Rukhsar’s case was detected in Shahpara village, 60 kilometers (40 miles) west of Kolkata, state health authorities immediately engulfed the surrounding districts with a rigorous immunization program, going door to door to check if every child had been immunized. States were told to treat every case of polio as a public health emergency.

by the CRDC and Higher Education study in addressing our community’s needs fuel a growing demand for greater data disaggregation. The data provided in these reports allow us to see a more complete snapshot of the daily needs and challenges our young men and boys face and are a great tool for school officials, federal agencies, policymakers, and educators. Boys and young men of color of all backgrounds are disproportionately at risk from their youngest years through college and the early stages of their professional lives. The data presented in the CRDC and Higher Education study paint a complex picture of just how early we begin to see these risks. By observing and understanding these risks, and addressing them through efforts like the president’s My Brother’s Keeper Initiative, we can work to overcome the challenges young men and boys of color face early on.  Sefa Aina is Director of the Asian American Resource Center at Pomona College and vice chair of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. India was in the middle of an intense campaign to battle the disease, with huge infusions of government funds and a new, more effective vaccine. “I realized we had been very negligent when the doctors told us Rukhsar had polio,” said Shah, a farm laborer who supplements his meager income by making zari, the gold thread embroidery used to embellish saris. “We’ve been lucky,” he said, as Rukhsar climbed into his lap. “No one should suffer this fate.”  AP writer Nirmala George contributed to this report from New Delhi.

{H-1B cont’d from page 5}

computer programming. 

U.S. businesses use the H-1B program to employ foreign workers in occupations that require highly specialized knowledge in fields such as science, engineering, and

For more information, visit www.uscis. gov or call the National Customer Service Center at 800-375-5283 or 800-767-1833 (TDD for the hearing impaired).

{YEE cont’d from page 5}

area of San Francisco. A total of 26 people have been charged in the case. Federal public defender Elizabeth Falk told the judge her office had a conflict from previous cases and she was still searching for a lawyer to represent Chow at government cost. Chow was ordered to return to court on Wednesday. He was denied bail last week after a judge deemed him a flight risk. Chow is accused of money laundering and other activities as the head of a notorious Chinatown-based gang. He has not entered a plea. 

accepting some property the senator owns but were still in negotiations with Yee and his lawyers. Moments before Yee’s appearance, Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow, who authorities say is a Chinatown crime syndicate boss, was brought into court wearing ankle restraints and dressed in a mustard-yellow jail jumpsuit. Chow was also arrested last week as part of the elaborate FBI sting operation targeting organized crime in the Chinatown

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APRIL 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; APRIL 11, 2014